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Simthaniel
Rigs
Modded headphones with qudelix at the core
When I received the Qudelix 5K, I had already modified a pair of Superlux HD-681 headphones. I previously soldered my own balanced connections to the drivers, providing multiple ways to connect and...
Apr 14, 2024
brothamike
A decent set of IEMs
I am in the midst of a 300 hour burn-in but, I will say I am enjoying how this set sounds so far. Before I received these which was btw late by a few weeks, I purchased a Sony/Kimber Kable MMCX...
Apr 12, 2024
merrick97
Should I exchange the PC38X for better headphones?
I bought the PC38X headphones FOR GAMING and they are great, but I have NO use for a Microphone since I don't do competitive gaming and I was wondering if there were better headphone options at a similar price without a headphone, where (presumably) more of the cost was put into making it sound better. I also find that my PC38X don't get quite as loud as I would like and I was wondering if a cheap amp like the iFi Go link would draw a little more volume out of my phones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BN6MM822?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I went with the PC38X since it was considered the best bang for buck headphones. I care most about using spatial apps like DOlby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X. Suggestions are welcome.
Apr 11, 2024
LostnAmerica
Sound Signature of the Grell Project.
Wondering what type of sound signature the Drop Grell project headphones will have or trying to attain. Any update would be appreciated.
Apr 8, 2024
Fabulous
Looking for a gaming/content audio setup
Hello! I'm looking for recommendations on audio setups. I'd be planning on using it mostly for gaming. Preferably I'd like a pair of large closed back headphones since I have a big head and jaw. I'd also like to hear myself through my mic with mic monitoring. As far as budget goes, I don't really have one. But under 600$ would be nice. I can go higher if needed. The audio setup would be connected to a high performance PC. Thank you in advance for any recommendations!
Apr 4, 2024
1plsd
$10 Drop Coupon Email not sent?
Trying to buy some gear off Drop for the first time. I was told I would receive an email with a welcome to drop $10 off promo. I never received that email. Drop was able to send me emails for my login token and email for Password update. But for some reason the $10 off coupon was never sent to me.
Mar 31, 2024
NMPacella
New here
Hello, I just joined, primarily for the audiophile products. Looking at purchasing the NHT C3 speakers for our new living room. Space is about 15 feet wide by 33 long and they will fire long ways. Space is just for general listening, music room with all equipment is downstairs, so hoping they will fill it with sound nicely. Cheers.
Mar 18, 2024
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The HD6XX is a very good headphone, and scales much better than the Focal. Perhaps on lower end gear the Focal is better, but on TOTL gear, they are more similar than different.
The HD6XX is also more comfortable to me, and I can buy two replacement sets of it for the price of the Elex.
If you were looking for something of a different tonality, consider a Sundara or LCD2C.
As to different scaling with equipment, could be, I can't comment too much. I will say that the chains that I listen to my cans on are: Audio-gd NFB 11-38, Topping D50->O2 Amp, Topping D50->Aune X7S, Topping D50->CTH, and for portable use an iFi xDSD and a Hidizs DH1000. I also have a Little Dot Mk II, but that hasn't gotten enough use for me to draw any conclusions.
For everything except the NFB 11-38 I prefer the Elex to the 6XX - the Elex is too bright for the 11-38. I will be playing with some of the built in switches/jumpers in the 11-38 to see if the warmer setting or any of the digital filters change this, without messing up the sound on the other cans that pair well with the 11-38.
Like you, I can also recommend the Sundara, less bright and easier to listen to for longer periods of time than the Elex.
For me, though, the Elex are still my favorites :-)
Let me quote from the Audio-gd website in reference to the internal jumpers that you can set to make the unit a bit warmer:
"Setting the NFB-11 with warmer sound flavor ? Push into two jumpers in the points can let the sound warmer for match the bright headphone." http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1138/NFB1138EN_Use.htm
Maybe the better terminology I should use is that the AGD 11 series is "transparent". With bright or very detailed / resolving headphones like the Elex that might not be a good thing, so they offer an option to smooth / make warmer the sound...
:-)
In terms of smooth and analog sound, that sounds more like what I have read about the R2R 11... from the Audio-GD website: "R2R 11 had the exotic sound quality! Smooth, coherent and analogue, it had not emphasize anythings but had not miss." To be completely honest they also claim on the same page that the NFB 11 is not bright... But I can definitely hear a distinct sound signature difference with the Elex playing out of the NFB 11-38 and the O2, CTH, and X7s... I had actually been skeptical of people who said you need to have multiple amps to pair with different cans in your collection, but I am a believer now... Of course that just gives me an excuse to buy more gear...
R2R is definitely analog sounding, regardless of the make. R2R DACs - Audio-GD, Schiit, Holo, Denafrips, Lampizator are all R2R and analog sounding. Audio-GD amps on the other hand, are voiced for an analog sound (at least this is what Kingwa - owner / genius engineer of Audio-GD told me), and work best with an analog sounding DACs - it doesn't have to be R2R but it helps.
I do agree that Audio-GD gears are very transparent and they are the real giant killers, which is why I went with Audio-GD HE9 for my end-game amp. Whether as a headphone amp or a pre-amp for my speakers, it beats everything I've ever come across.
they do not know how to tune, so they did not tune.
all musics are colored and digitally processed.
Sure, anyone can buy components and build their own amp. Amps aren't complicated, that doesn't mean putting a few resistors in a row is going to sound any good. You could follow one of many freely available schematics, but it's not guaranteed to sound the way you prefer.
A good amp needs a good design, and Audio-GD has developed many innovations not found in other amps. Audio-GD isn't small for sure, everyone has heard of them and a many have owned at least one piece of their gear. Their R2R DACs sell like hotcakes, and their R-core amps are considered world class by many.
And sorry to break it to you, everything about "high-end audiophile" is niche, Schiit being one of the largest audiophile companies in the USA, or Paradigm the largest speaker manufacturer, my wife haven't heard of either, neither has most of my friends IRL, but they have heard of Bose, Beats by Dr Dre, Sony etc.
@Artifiz For sure, Audio-GD burns in their products prior to shipping, some of their flagship products are burned-in for 500 hours!!